Late Goal Helps Timbers U-23s Draw Crossfire 3-3

SHERWOOD, Ore. – A late penalty-kick goal from forward Erik Hurtado helped the Portland Timbers U-23s to a 3-3 draw against the Washington Crossfire on Saturday night in front of 511 fans at Sherwood High School.

Hurtado was fouled as he fired a shot wide from inside the penalty box and was awarded the spot kick in the 87th minute. The forward buried the equalizer into the right side of the net to help Portland (5-4-2, 17 pts) earn a point from the match to remain in sole position of second place in the Northwest Division.

Washington (1-5-3, 6 pts) took a 3-2 lead following a headed goal by defender Matthew Fischer off a corner kick in the 69th minute.

Hurtado logged his first multiple-goal performance of the season, Dylan Tucker scored in his second straight match and Brent Richards added two assists to his team-leading assists total for the Timbers U-23s.

Tucker opened the scoring for Portland in the 12th minute with a header from just inside the penalty spot. Tucker connected on his second goal of the season after a cross from the right edge of the box by Richards.

Washington knotted the score at 1-1 with a flicked-on header by midfielder Bradley McIntosh. The midfielder was able to get a slight touch on midfielder Michael Harris’s 35-yard front-flip, throw-in to beat Portland goalkeeper Jason Dodson in the 30th minute.

McIntosh added his second goal of the game under similar circumstances in the 33rd minute when he headed in a long-distance throw-in from Harris on the left side that slipped through Dodson’s hands.

Dodson finished with one save as Portland out-shot Washington 19-5 in the contest. Goalkeeper Doug Herrick made six saves for Washington.

Portland was able to equalize at 2-2 just before the end of the first half when Richards dispossessed a Washington player near midfield and slipped a well-placed through pass into Hurtado’s path. Hurtado used his speed to hold off a defender before firing past Herrick with a low, hard shot to the far post in the 43rd minute. 

After grabbing an early 1-0 lead, Portland nearly went 2-0 up in the 28th minute, but Crossfire defender Ben Fisk cleared a Timbers shot off the goal line and the following rebound was headed high by forward Ricky Abrego. Fighting for the first-half equalizer, Richards saw two header attempts in the box sail just over the crossbar in the 36th and 40th minute, respectively. 

The Timbers U-23s threatened several times late in the match, including a long-distance effort by Richards in the 84th minute that forced Herrick to parry the ball out for a corner kick.

Portland continues its four-game home-stand on Friday, July 8 at 7 p.m. against the Abbotsford Mariners at Doc Harris High School in Camas, Wash. 

Scoring Summary:
POR: Tucker (Richards) 12
WAS: McIntosh (Harris) 30
WAS: McIntosh (Harris) 33
POR: Hurtado (Richards) 43
WAS: Fischer (Knapp) 69
POR: Hurtado (penalty kick) 87

Discipline Summary:
WAS: Harris (caution) 36
WAS: Kelly (caution) 64
WAS: Conrad (caution) 87

Lineups: 
POR: GK Dodson, D Gonzalez, D Kawoluk, D Morris, D Esteves, M Hasson (Dorrego 70), M Richards, M Tucker, M Farfan (Bowen 78), F Hurtado, F Abrego (Byass 61)

WAS: GK Herrick, D Fisk, D Fischer, D Ryan, D Knapp, M Harris, M James (Voin 75), M Campbell (Conrad 84), M McIntosh, F Wilson, F Kelly (Sackeyfio 78)